Meadowood Napa Valley, in the famed California wine region, is opening a new 14,000sq ft (1,300sq m), all-suite spa with a focus on wellness in Q4 2015, with industry veteran Michael Conte named as director of spa and wellness.
The eight treatment suites will each offer leafy, forested views, and the spa menu is designed to delve deeper into guests’ overall wellness, Conte told
Spa Opportunities .
“The goal for the new Meadowood Spa was to create a premiere spa where our guests could relax and feel pampered in Meadowood’s natural surroundings, while enjoying the core foundation of spa therapy that is rooted in wellbeing,” said Conte.
Spa consultants Nancy Nemer of Red Cashew and Anni Hood of Wellness Business Consultancy are working on the project, and the spa will be operated in-house by Meadowood.
Product houses include Aromatherapy Associates, Luzern, organic vegan skincare line Gylcelene, and vine- and grape-based skincare line Caudalie.
“It was important for us to not only find product lines with the best ingredients, but that also had a strong sense of place to reflect our beautiful surroundings,” said Conte.
Services will begin with a lifestyle consultation with a spa therapist – all of whom are trained in wellness coaching – to create a curated treatment plan and to understand the guest’s desired outcome of treatments.
“Our therapists are going to be taking a personal interest in our guests’ overall well-being,” said Conte. “The overarching spa experience will be a blended harmony of therapy, relaxation and education, while offering a body, mind and spirit connection.”
Treatment highlights include “From the Earth,” which uses black walnut, found throughout the Meadowood estate, to create a body scrub that is enhanced with custom-blended aromatherapy oils.
Pre-treatments include relaxation tea as well as either customised steam or dry body brushing, and each treatment will conclude with a port-treatment organic elixir.
After the service is over, the therapist will also encourage ways to continue self-homecare and assist the guest in feeling healthier and more balanced, based on their observations during the treatment, said Conte.
The spa was designed by Howard Backen and a team from Saulsalito-based Backen, Gillam and Kroeger Architects, with interior design by Leslie Hemmings from the same firm.
“The style of architecture reflects and respects the landscape; simple, rustic structures with a strong connection to everything beyond the building itself,” said Conte.
Settled on a private estate in Napa Valley surrounded by a 250-acre valley, Meadowood includes 85 guestrooms, suites and cottages, along with two championship croquet lawns, seven tennis courts, a nine-hole walking golf course, golf studio and driving range, hiking trails, two swimming pools, wine experiences, and a Michelin three-star restaurant.
While Meadowood has had a spa in the past, dubbed The Health Spa, it was “more of a modest spa,” said Conte, with a combination of treatment rooms, sauna and steamrooms, exercise facilities and yoga and fitness class rooms.
“Ultimately, once the new Meadowood Spa opens, parts of The Health Spa will be remodelled and the building will be dedicated solely to fitness,” said Conte.
